LynuxWorks has ported User Mode Linux to PowerPC, and sent their work to the UML developers. User Mode Linux is a technology that allows multiple Linux kernels to run on the same machine, which facilitates kernel debugging, isolating buggy or malicious software, and more.

Freescale (formerly Motorola) has launched their own developer website for PowerPC Linux developers. Not a whole lot of articles up yet, but valuable links to their documentation library and Altivec sections.

developerWorks has yet another interesting PowerPC article, this one aimed at those curious about the embedded space. Using the inexpensive Kuro box as a platform, the author compares PowerPC to x86 and ARM in embedded applications. In future articles, the author promises to teach us how to use the Kuro for autonomous vehicle control, with sensors and even some machine vision.

A long and interesting article from IBM on the business of licensing PowerPC technology, the AMCC purchase of IBM’s embedded 4xx PowerPC, recent industry interest in PowerPC, the importance of power.org, and more.

UncategorizedComments Off on IBM & Novell claim world record on TPC-H benchmark

Jan062005

A benchmark “world record” for non-clustered TPC-H was set by an IBM OpenPower 720 system running SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9. (Two OpenPower 720s also scored well in a clustered TPC-H run.) The OpenPower 720 is the (64-bit) POWER5-based system that starts at US$5000, which is remarkably inexpensive for POWER hardware…

UncategorizedComments Off on Production Release for Oracle Database 10g Release 1

Jan042005

Before the New Year, Oracle rolled out its planned “Production Release” of Oracle Database 10g for PowerPC Linux. While they had previously made a “Developer’s Release” available for versions 9i and 10g, this is the first official product release for them on PPC Linux. This accomplishment will add even more legitimacy to the prospect of PowerPC Linux in the eyes of potential business users.

IBM developerWorks is running an article about the Kuro box, the $160 PowerPC embedded platform, including setup and a strange “test” of a text adventure game, which apparently is very important to the author. (Refer also to our own story about Kuro history.)

A few other interesting PPC Linux websites have come to our attention recently, so we’ve added them to our links and we’d like to make sure you know about them. ppcnerds seem to have a lot more time to dig up news than we do… 😉 Next, fans of web forums should have a look at the PPC Zone, which is a little Pegasos-centric but has other interesting topics as well.

IBM and Novell have worked out a deal where Independent Software Vendors can register for a free copy of SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 (SLES 9) for PowerPC. This version comes with only 90 days of updates/errata, so is intended for porting software rather than production use.